The Bosnian Serb President, Biljana Plavsic, nominated Mr Dodik for the post of Prime Minister at the beginning of the parliamentary session, held in the eastern town of Bijeljina. His name was put forward after the previous nominee stepped down, complaining that he could not secure support for his proposed cabinet.

Mr Dodik is a well-known moderate who favours compromise with the Muslims and Croats of Bosnia. Earlier, hardline deputies loyal to the alleged war criminal, Radovan Karadzic, had rejected Mr Dodik, saying he would betray Serb interests by co-operating with Bosnian Muslim representatives. The vote came after hardline deputies left the parliament meeting. With the narrowest of majorities, supporters of Mrs Plavsic, backed by deputies representing Muslim and Croat refugees from the Bosnian Serb Republic, approved Mr Dodik and his new cabinet.